Machine for shaping shoe uppers



2 Sheets-Sheet l original Fild Jan. 11, 1950 l/E/V TUR- m June 28, 1932. A. BATES MACHINE FOR SHAPING SHOE UPPERS Original Filed Jan. 11, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l/g/v TQQ mm ma; Y

' Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR BATES, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIG-NOR TO UNITED SHOE IMLACHINERYv CORPORATION, 0F PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY MACHINE FOR SHAPING SHOE UPPERS Original application led January 11, 1930, Serial No. 420,251, and in Great Britain January 22, 1929.

Divided and this application med June s, i931.

This invention relates to' machines for use in the manufacture of shoes, and more particularly to machines for shaping shoe upper materials over lasts or other forms, this application being a division of my copending application Serial N o. 420,251, filed on J anuary ll, 1930. The invention is herein illustrated in its application to a. machine designed for use in the manufacture of shoes of the welt type, but it is to be understood th at in various novel and useful aspects it is not thus limited in its applicability.

i/Vhile it is the more common practice in the manufacture of various kinds of shoes, including welt shoes, to perform the sidelasting operation prior to the shaping or lasting of the toe and heel ends of the upper,V

materials, there have nevertheless been proposed and utilized heretofore to some extent methods involving the shaping of at least the toe-end portion of the upper materials (hereinafter referred to inclusively as the upper) to the contou'r required for the finished shoe prior to t-he lasting of the sides at the rear of the toe end. Such is the practice, for example, where the toe-end portion of the upper is molded substantially to its final shape before the upper is mounted on a last. Likewise, in that process of shoe manufacture which involves the sewing of a welt to the shoe simultaneously with the lasting of its opposite sides, as disclosed in my earlier application Serial No. 325,839, filed on December 13, 1928, the final shaping or lasting of the toe-end portion of the upper is preferably effected prior to the lasting of the sides at the rear of the toe.

It is an object of the present invention, in one important aspect, to provide a machine for shaping the toe-end portions of'uppers under such conditions as to facilitate the later side-lasting operation and also to minimize any tendency for a previously shaped toe to be disturbed by the side-lasting operation or for that operation to be restricted in its effectiveness by reason of the previous shaping of the toe. For the purpose in view, the machine herein shown accordingly comprises a novel organization of means for shaping the toe-end portion of the upper and for Serial No. 542,853.

positioning and holding the forepart `of the upper at the rear of the toe in close conformity to the contour of the form or, last over which the upper is shaped during the shaping of the margin of its toe-end portion as required for its permanent attachment to an insole. More particularly, ,as illustrated, there is provided, in combination wit-h means for applying a pull to the toe end of the upper to tension it overthe last and for thereafter tion into lasted relation to an insole on the last, a fluid-pressure device arranged to embrace the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe and to press it into close conformity to the contour of the last after the uppertensioning operation has been substantially completed and to hold it thus conformed to the last during the wiping of the margin of its toe-end portion over the insole. The fluid-pressure device herein shown comprises an inflatable pad so constructed and arranged as to apply pressure to the upper over a continuous area including the hollow back of the toe and the top of the instep and also the opposite sides as far rearwardly as the ball of the shoe. As a result of such close conformity of the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe to the contour of the form or last at the time when the marginal portion of the upper around the toe is shaped as required for its permanent attachment to an insole, the marginal toe portion and the por-y tion of the upper immediately at the rear of the toe are positioned substantially -in the relation to each other required for the finished shoe and tend to maintain that relation thereafter, even though the margin of the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe is left unfastened, as illustrated, until the e side-lasting operation is performed. There is accordingly no undue tendency in the sidelasting operation to disturb the previously shaped margin of the toe-end portion of the` upper, nor is the effectiveness of the sidelasting operation in locations adjacent tothe toe portion of the upper unduly restricted by reason of the previous shaping of the toe portion.

Y While the machine herein shown, as above wiping the margin of its toe-end pordescribed, comprises Huid-pressure means for conforming an upper at the rear of the toe to the contour of a form or last, in combination with other means for shaping the toe-end portion of the upper, it will be recognized that in some of its novel aspects the invention is not limited to such a combination nor to an organization having fluid-pressure conforming means arranged to operate upon that particular portion of the upper.

The novel features of the invention, includ# v ing various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in sect-ion, showing portions of a toe-lasting machine in which novel features of the invention are embodied, this figure illust-rating the tensioning of the upper over the last prior to the application of any substantial pressure to the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the pressing of the upper at the rear of the toe in close conformity to the contour of thelast and the shaping of the margin of the upper about the toe in lasted relation to the insole;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the means shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for pressing the upper at the rear ofthe toe closely about the last;

Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8 as it appears when viewed in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1; and g Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the toe portion of the shoe as it appears after it has been operated upon by the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

VThe machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 for lasting the toe end of the shoe is a machine of the same general character as that disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,7 02,397 granted on February 19, 1929', upon an application of W. C. Baxter, and accordingly only such parts of the machine as it is necessary to refer to for an understanding of this invention are shown and will be described in detail. The machine is adapted. to operate upon the toe portion of an upper loosely mounted on a last which is supported at its heel end on a spindle 10 and is further controlled by means of a heel rest 12, the spindle and heel rest being movable with the last in `directions heightwise and lengthwise of the last, as more fully disclosed in the Letters Patent mentioned. For wiping the margin of the toe end portion of the upper inwardly into lasted relation to an insole a on the last, there are provided toe-embracing wipers 14, only one of which is seen in the drawings, and co-operating with these wipers are clamp members 16 which clamp the margin of the upper upon the top face of the wipers for the purpose of applyino' a pull to the toe end of the upper to tensionthe upper over the last. The machine herein shown is also provided with grippers 17, only one of which is seen in the drawings, for gripping the upper at the opposite ends of the tip line in the manner disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,7 06,474, granted on March 26, 1929, upon an application of W. C. Baxter. It will be understood that initially the last is presented at a higher elevation and farther forwardly than illustrated in Fig. 1 and that after the clamping of the margin of the upper upon the wipers and by the grippers the last receives a rearward movement to subject the upper to a lengthwise pull in the manner fully disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,702,-

397. Thereafterl the toe end of the insole a is engaged by a clamping plate 18 supported on a downwardly swinging arm 2O and its shank portion by a presser foot 21 also mounted on this arm, and by this means the last is depressed relatively to the wipers, clamp members and grippers for further tensioning the upper over the last. Fig. 1 illustrates the positions of the parts at the end of this downward movement of the last, the toe end of the shoe at this time being pressed downwardly upon a toe rest 22 which in the construction herein shown is mounted in a fixed position upon a toe rest support 24.

For pressing the forepart of the upper in close conformity to the contour of the last at the rear of the toe, the machine herein shown is provided with a fluid-pressure device comprising an inflatable rubber pad 26 supported upon a casing 28 which is mounted on the toe rest support 24 in a manner hereinafter described. The casing 28 and the pad 26 are of such form and dimensions as to embrace the upper and last at the rear of the toe and to extend rearwardly over the high part of the instep and along the sides of the last as far as the ball of the shoe. The casing 28 is pivotally supported at its front end on a pin 30 mounted in a block 82 (Fig. 4) which is mounted to turn about a pin 34 at right angles to the pin 30, so that a substantially universal joint is provided between the casing and its support 24. The casing 28 is permitted to rock laterally about the pin 30 to adjust itself to the swing of different lasts, and for controlling such movement there are provided leaf springs 36 arranged to bear respectively on the opposite side portions of the casing to centralize it when there is no last in the machine. the position of the casing 28 in respect to movement about the pin 34, there is provided a member 38 having a ballshaped end positioned in a socket formed in the casing, the member 88 being adjustable to vary the po- For determining CIJ sition :of the casing, as may be required for shoes of different shapesA or sizes. Y

F or expanding or inflating the pad 26 to apply pressure to the upper, it is contemplated that there will be provided a suitable pump and reservoir for compressed air (not herein shown) although it is to be understood that the utility of the upper-pressing means does not depend upon the use of iiuid of that particular character. Leading from the compressed air supply to afvalve 4G is a pipe 42, and leading from the valve to the pad 26 is a flexible pipe 44. The valve herein shown is a hand-operated valve controlled by a hand lever 46 (Fig. 3). It will be understood Vthat when the valve 40` is in the position illustrated in F ig. 2 the pipes 42 and 44 are in communication with each other through a peripheral recess in the valve, and that when the valve is in the position shown in F ig. l this communication is interrupted and the pipe 44 is conneeted to the atmosphere through an opening 48 in the valve.

It will be understood that in the downward movement of the last hereinbefore described it is carried into the recess provided by the casing 28 and the pad 26, but no substantial pressure is applied to the upper by the pad until after the parts have arrived in the positions illustrated in Fig. l, as will be evident by reference to the cross-sectioned portion of the pad and adjacent shoe and last parts in that igure. lith the parts of the machine thus positioned and the machine preferably at rest, the operator manipulates the valve 40 to admit compressed air to the pad, whereupon the pad is expanded and presses the upper in close conformity to the contour of the last. It willybe observed that such pressure is applied over a continuous area including the hollow back of thertoe and the top of the instep and extending also over the sides of the last nearly as far as the edge of the last bottom and as far rearwardly as preferably continuing the location of the ball of the shoe. The pressure is accordinglyT applied by the pad to substantially all portions of the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe. After the pressure has thus been applied, the machine is again started and the wipers 14 are operated to wipe the margin of the upper inwardly over the insole around the end and along the sides of the toe to its final lasted position, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the clamp members 16 to press the margin of the upper upon the wipers during a portion, at least, of this operation to render them more effective to pull the upper tightly over the last and insole. Near the end of the wiping operation the clamp members are lifted and During this upper at the in close conthe grippers 17 also opened. operation the forepart of the rear of :the toe is maintained formity to t-he contour of the last by the pres,-

sure pad, which in .addition .to its conforming action serves to Ahold the .upper yin that location against loss of such tenslon as it received from the pull ofthe clamping and gripping means thereon, while also assisting in supporting the last. i' y The parts shown in Figs. l and 2 include 'a trimming knife 50 movable. to trim the margin Lof the upper flush with the upper face ofthe wipers714 inthe same manner as disclosed in Letters PatentNo. 1,702,397. It will be understoodthat after removing the shoe from the machine the operator will detach the opposite ends of the strip of waste material from the remainder of the upper, S0 that the toe portion of the shoe will appear as indicated in F ig. 5. Preferably the machine will come to a stop at the end of the upper- -trimming operation to allow time for the margin ofthe toesendportion of the upper, including the toe stifener, to set in its lasted shape, and the operator` may then, if desired, insert a fine Wire staple s lto fasten the upper to the lip of the insole at each end of the tip line. As illustrated, the forepart of the up` per at the rear of the toe is left in an unfastened condition. The pause in the operation of the machine at this point will also enable the operator to release the air pressure from the pad 26, so that when the arm 2O is raised the pad `will not be unduly ex panded.

If, as preferred and as above described, no portion of the upper has been shaped to conform to the contour of the last prior to the lasting of the toe, the heel-end portion of the shoe may next 'be lasted in any suitable `manner after removal of the shoe from the illustrated machine, and the side-lasting operation thereafter performed either with or without simultaneous attachment of a welt to the shoe in the man-ner disclosed in application Serial No. 325,839.

From the foregoing description itavill be evi-dent that by use of the 'illustrated machine the toe-end portion of the upper kis shaped over the last and the insole under such conditions as to treatment of portions of the upper at the rear of the toe as to facilitate the later side-lasting operation and to insure that the effectiveness of that operation will not be unduly restricted by the previously shaped or lasted toe and also to insure against any undue tendency for the side-lasting operation to disturb on the last the position of thepreviously shaped toe. That is to say, with the toe-end portion of the upper shaped under the conditions .de-

scribed, the storepart ofthe upper at the rear I thing more than very localized and restricted tensions. Y l v While the invention-is herein illustrated in its application to amachine particularly designed for shaping an upper'over-a last and over an insole on the last, it is to be understood that, in .various novel aspects, it is not limited to a machine for shapin the upper over a form of that particular c iaracter or over an insole, and also that in some novel aspects the invention is not llimited to a machine for shaping the toe-end portion of the upper prior to the side lasting of the shoe. i

The novel method of making shoes herein disclosed is not claimed herein, but in the copending application of which this application is a division.

Having described the invention, what l' claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions of uppers, the combination with means for applying a pull to the toe end of an upper to tension the upper over a form' and for thereafter shaping the margin of the toe end of the upper over the form, of fluid-pressure` means conformable to the contour of the form and arranged to be rendered operative only after the upper-tensioning operation has been substantially completed to press the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe closely about the form and to hold it pressed against the form during the shaping of the margin of the toe end of the upper.

2. In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions of uppers, the combination with means for applying a pull tothe toe end of an upper to tension the upper over a form and for thereafter shaping the margin of the toe end of the upper over the form, of fluid-pressure means conformable to the contour of the form and arranged to be rendered operative only after the upper-tensioning operation has been substantially completed to press .the forepart of the upper over the top and the sides of the form closely about the form and to hold it under pressure during the shaping of the margin of the toe end of the upper.

3. In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions of uppers, the combination with means for applying a pull to the toe end of an upper to tension Vthe upper over a form and for thereafter shaping the margin of the toe end of the upper over the form, of a pad expansible by fluid pressure and arranged to be rendered operative only after the upper-tensionin operation has been substantially complete to press the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe closely about the form and to hold it pressed against the form during the shaping of the margin of the toe end of the upper.

4. .In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions vof uppers, the combination with means for clamping the margin of anupper around the toe and for tensioning the upper over a form by a pull on said clamped man gin, said clamping and tensioning means including wipers for thereafter wiping the margin of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the form, of fluid-pressure means conformable to the contourr of the form and garranged to be rendered operative after the upper-tensioning operation has been substantially completed to press the forepart of the upper at therear of the toe closely about the form and to hold it pressed against the form during the wiping of the margin of the toe end of the upper inwardly over the form.

5. In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions of uppers, the combination with means for clamping the margin of the toe end of an upper, including members movable to shape the margin of the upper over a form, and means for moving the form relatively to said clamping means to tension the upper prior to the shaping of its margin, of fluidpressure means arranged to be rendered operative after the upper-tensioning operation has been substantially completed to press the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe in close conformity to the top and sides, of the form and to hold it during the shaping of the margin of the toe end of the upper over the form.

6. In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions of uppers, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper inwardly over a form, and means for pressing the margin of the upper upon said wipers to render them effective to pull the upper tightly over the form in the wiping operation, of means expansible by fluid pressure for pressing the forepart of the upper in close conformity to the top and sides of the form during the wiping action of the wipers.

7. In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions of uppers, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper inwardly over a form, and means for pressing the margin of the upper upon said wipers to render them effective to pull the upper tightly over the form in the wiping operation, of means expansible by fluid pressurefor pressing the forepart of the upper in close conformity to the top and sides of the form during the wiping action of the wipers, said pressing means being limited substantially to engagement with the upper at the rear of its toe portion.

8. In a machine for shaping shoe uppers, the combination with means for applying a pullto an upper to tension it over a form, of fluid-pressure means arranged to be rendered operative only after the upper-tensioning operation has been substantially completed to press the up er in close conformity to the contour of the fiorm.

9. In a machine for shaping shoe uppers, the combination with means for applying a pull to the forepart of an upper to tension it over a form, of a toe rest for engaging the toe end of the upper, and a pad arranged to engage the forepart of the upper at the rear of said toe rest and erpansible by fluid pressureafter the upper-tensioning operationhas been substantially completed to pressthe upper in close conformity to the contour of the form. Y A

10. In a machine for shaping shoe uppers. the combination With means for clampingthe margin of the forepart of an upper, and means for moving a form relatively to said clamping means to tension the upper over the form, of a pad toward which the form is thus 'movable, said pad being expansible by fluid pressure to hold the upper in close conformity to the contour of the form after the uppertensioning operation.

11. In a machine for shaping shoe uppers,

' lthe combination with means forapplying a pull to an upper to tension Vit over a form and for thereafter shaping its marginal portion over the form, of fluid-pressure means arranged to be rendered operative only after the upper-tensioning operation Vhas been sube stantially completed to press the upper closely about the form and to hold'it during the shapingv of its marginal portion. Y.

12. In a machine forshaping shoe uppers, the combination with means' for shaping the toe-end portion of an upper over a form," of fini -pressure means for pressing the forepart of the Yupper in conformity to the top and sides of the form, said "fiuidepressure means being arranged to engage theasides of the upper only at the -rear of its toe portion. 13. In a. machine for shaping shoeuppers, the combination with means forfshaping the toe-end portion 'of an upper over a form, of aA pad arranged toy embrace the forepart of the upper at the rear ofthe toe and expansi ble lby fluid pressure to press the upper in close conformity to the contour of the form, said pad being limited substantially to engagement with the upper at the rear of its toe portion. Y 14. In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions of uppers over lasts, the combinaion with means for applying a pull to the toe end of an upper to tension it over a last and for thereafter shaping the margin of the toe end of the upper in lasted relation to an insole on the last, of fluid-pressure means conformable to the contour of the last and arranged to be rendered operative only after the upper-tensioning operation has been substantially completed to press the forepa-rt of the upper at the rear of the toe in lclose con formity to the top and sides of the last and to hold it pressed against the last during the shaping of the margin of the toe end of the upper over the insole. y

15. In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions of'fuppersover lasts, the combinaion with means for applying a pull to the toe end of an upper to tension-it over a last and for thereafter shapingy the margin `of the toe end of the upper in lasted relation to an insole'onthe last, of a pad expansible by fluid pressure andarranged to be rendered operative only after the uppertensioning operation hasbeen substantially completed to press the forepart of the of the toe in close conformity to the top and sides of the. last and' to hold it pressed against the last during the shaping of the margin of thetoe end of the upper over the insole.

16. In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions of uppers over lasts, the combination with means for applying a pull to the toe end of an upper to tension it over a last and for thereafter shaping the margin of the toe end of the upper over the bottom of the last, of means arranged to be rendered operative only after the uppertensioning operation has been 'substantially completed to press the forepart of the upper-at the rear of the toe in close conformity to the contour 0f the last over a substantially continuous area extending overthe top of the last and. along the sides tereof asfar rearwardly as the ball of the s oe. c

' 17. In a machine for shaping the toe-end portions ofuppers over lasts, the combination with means for applying a pull to the toe end of an upper to tension it over a last and for vthereafter shaping the margin of l' the toe end of the upper overvthe bottomof the last, of Huid-pressure means arranged to embrace the forepart of the upper at the rear of theljtoe' and to extend rearwardly along the instep and also along the ysides of the last as far as the ball of the shoe for pressingthe upper closely about the last only after the upper-tensioning operation has been substantially completed and for holding it during the shaping of the margin of its toe end portion.

18. Ina machine for lasting the toe ends of uppers, the combination with means for applying lasting tension to the margin ofthe toe end of an upper and for thereafter Wiping the margin of the toe end portion of the upper into lasted relation to an insole on s. last, of an infiatable` pad arranged tobe ren dered'operative only after the upper-tensioning operation.` hasbeen substantially completed to press substantially the entire forepart of the upper at the rearv of the toe 1n closeoonformity to the last and to hold it thus conformed to the last during the lwiping upper at the. rear of its margin into lasted relation to the insole. i'

, 19. In a machine for lasting the toe endsV of uppers, the combination with toe-lasting means fortensioningan upper over a last and for thereafter shaping its margin in lasted relation to an insole onthe last, and means for moving the last relatively to said lasting means to tension the upper, of fluid-pressure means arranged to engage the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe and to be rendered operative after the tensioning of the upper has been substantially completed to press the upper in close conformity to the contour of the last and to hold it during the shaping of the margin of its toe end portion over the insole. V

20. In a machine for lasting the toe ends of uppers, the combination with wipers and clamping means arranged to clamp the margin of the toe end of an upper between them, and means vfor moving a last relatively to said wipers and clamping means to tension the upper over the last, said wipers being movable thereafter to wipe the'margin of the toe end of the upper into lasted relation to an insole onthe last, of a pad arranged to embrace the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe over thertop and the sides of the last and expansible by fluid pressure to press the upper in close conformity to the contour of the last after the upper-tensioning operationl and to hold it during the wiping of its margin inwardly over the insole. Y 21. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, the combination with means for clamping the margin of` the forepart of an uper, of means for engaging au insole on a last at the toe end and in the shank to move the last relatively to said clamping means to tension the upper, and a fluid-pressure device toward which the last is thus movable arranged to embrace the forepart of the upper at the rear of the toe and to hold the upper in close conformity to the contour of the last after the upper-tensioning operation.

22. In a machine of the class described, the combination with toe-lasting means, of means eXpansible by iiuid pressure to press thev forepart of an upper in conformity to the contour of the top and sides of a last, said pressing means being arranged to engage the sides of the upper only at the rear of its toe portion.

23. In a machine of the class described, the combination with toe-lasting means, of means expansible by iiuid pressure to conform an upper to the contour of the top and sides of a last, said conforming means being arranged to engage the upper over the instep and Aterminating at a substantial distance from the `toe end face of the last. 24. In a machine of the class described, the combination with toe-lasting means, of means expansible by fluid pressure to conform an upper to the contour of the top and sides of a last, said conforming means beinglimited to engagement with a portion of the upper at a substantial distance from both the toe and heel end faces of the last.

25. In a machine of the class described, a pad arranged to embrace an upper over the top and sides of a last and eXpansible by Huid pressure in conformity to the contour of the last, said pad being mounted for movement widthwise of the last to adjust itself to the shape or position of the last.

26. In a machine of the class described, a

pad arranged to embrace an upper over the r top and sides of a last and eXpansible by fluid pressure in conformity to the contour of the last, said pad vbeing mounted for movement widthwise-of the last to adjust itself to the shape or position of the last, and yieldable means for normally centralizing the pad in respect to such movement.V

..27. In a machine of the class described, a fluid-pressure device arranged to embrace the top and sides of an upper device comprising a pad eXpansible by fluid pressureV in'conformity to the contour of the last and a support for said pad mounted for rocking movement widthwise ofthe last to permit the pad to adjust itself to the shape or position of the last, and springs arranged to bear on the opposite sides of said support for normally centralizing it in respect to such movement.

. 28. In a machine of the class described, a pad arranged to embrace an upper over the top and sides of a lastV and eXpansible by fluidfpressure in conformity to the contour of the last, said pad being'adjustably movable about *anV aXis extending widthwise of the last to position it in proper relation to lasts of different shapes or sizes.

29. In a machine of the class described, a pad arranged to embrace the top and sides .of an upper over the instep portion of a last and terminating at a substantial distance from the toe end face of the last, said pad being expansible by fluid pressure in' conformity'to the contour of the last.

30. In amachine of the class described, a pad arranged to embrace the top and sides of an upper on a last and eXpansible by fluid pressure in conformity to the contour of the last, saidpad being limited to engagement with a portion of the upper at a substantial .distance from both the toe and heel end faces of the last.

V31. In aV machine of the class described, the combination with a toe rest for supporting the toe-end portion of a last with an upper thereon, of a pad arranged to engage the forepart of the upper at the rear of said toe rest and expansible by fluid pressure inconformity to the contour of the last.

32. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a toe rest for supporting the toe-end portion of a last with an upper thereon, of a pad arranged to embrace the instep portion of the upper and last at the rear of said toe rest and eXpansible by Huid pressure in conformity to the contour of the last.

33. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a toe rest for supporting the toe-end portion of a last with an upper on a last, said 'ico ics

thereon, of a pad arranged to embrace the top and sides of the upper at the rear of said toe rest and expansible by fluid pressure in conformity to the contour of the last, said pad being movable widthwise of the last relatively to the toe rest to adjust itself to the shape or position of the last.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR BATES. 

